WEST PALM BEACH - Annika Sorenstam was hitting the ball so well she knew exactly where it was going. Combine that with an unusually calm day in South Florida, and her name atop the leaderboard was no surprise.
Sorenstam birdied four of the last five holes, twice with a 7-iron into greens surrounded by trouble, giving her a 6-under 66 and a one-shot lead after the first round of the season-ending ADT Championship.
Cristie Kerr had a 67, while Karrie Webb was among those at 68.
It was the lowest opening round in the ADT Championship since it moved four years ago to Trump International, a tough course with a few waterfalls for decoration and plenty of water hazards for intimidation.
Sorenstam, going after her eighth victory of the year, was oblivious to both.
"The conditions were as good as they could get," Sorenstam said. "But I must say, I thought the pins were very tough."
Grace Park, No. 2 on the money list and paired in the first round with Sorenstam, nearly had a lost ball on the par-5 third hole, but still managed to scratch out a 71. Lorena Ochoa of Mexico had a 75, giving Park a good start toward winning the Vare Trophy.
"I just didn't have anything today," Park said. "I feel even more horrible on a day like this when I'm playing with Annika. She just hits every fairway and every green. That's why she's No. 1."
UBS CUP: Arnold Palmer is undefeated in international team competition as U.S. captain, a record that includes a couple of Ryder Cup wins, a President's Cup victory and three UBS Cup titles. He looks to extend that streak in the fourth UBS Cup, starting today in Kiawah Island, S.C. "All of Arnold's players have tremendous respect for him, as everybody does," said Gary Player, captain of the 12-man team representing the rest of the world at the Ryder Cup-style competition for players 40 and older. The winning team earns $150,000 per player, the losers take home $100,000.
TEAM WORLD CUP: The Irish duo of Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington shot a 12-under 60 to share the lead with Austria's Martin Wiegele and Markus Brier after the first round in Seville, Spain. England's Paul Casey and Luke Donald were one stroke off the lead, followed by Japan's Shigeki Maruyama and Hidemichi Tanaka (62) and Spain's Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez (63).
